Scala specs include

Price

Release date

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The Skoda Scala has been revealed at a launch event in Tel Aviv. The replacement for the old Skoda Rapid gets handsome looks based on the top-of-the-range Superb, excellent infotainment options and more interior space than the pricier VW Golf.

Skoda Scala price and release date

The Skoda Scala will go on sale in the middle of 2019 with a starting price of £16,500 for a basic 90hp 1.0-litre petrol. The only diesel – a 115hp 1.6 – will cost another £1,000, while a 150hp 1.5-litre petrol with all the kit will cost more than £20,000.

Skoda Scala styling

There’s plenty about the Skoda Scala that you’ll recognise from the firm’s other models. The large chrome-outlined grille and piercing headlights have a strong family resemblance to the smaller Fabia and larger Octavia, while the strong creases down the side of the car are pure Skoda Superb. The latter gives the Scala more substance than the skinny Rapid that it replaces. The same is true of the wheels that start from 16-inches in size but go all the way up to 18-inches if you don’t mind paying extra for them. What really makes the Scala stand out from the company’s other models, however, is its hatchback rear end that gives it a two-box design and a huge boot opening that makes it very easy to load.

The high-end feel of the Scala is amplified by additions like standard LED front and rear tail lights that give it a pure-white light signature at night. And, if you’re willing to pay for them, you can have the same scrolling LEDs that used be preserve of posh Audi saloons – they light up sequentially in the direction the car is turning.

Skoda Scala Interior

The interior of the Skoda Scala mirrors the outside – there are no radical changes to be seen here but you do get a natural evolution of what Skoda has produced in the past. As a result, you get soft touch plastics on the top half of the dash and on the tops of the front doors. Plastics lower in the cabin are harder, but they feel robust and the gaps between pieces are consistent. You get a flash of coloured trim running along the centre of the dashboard and contrast seat stitching. Pay extra and you can also have pseudo suede leather upholstery, ambient lighting that switches between red and white light, plus luxuries like having the front seats, steering wheel and windscreen heated.

Skoda Scala Infotainment

The Skoda Scala is the first Skoda to have an infotainment screen that seems to float from the top of the dashboard, which looks cool but also means the screens sits right in your field of vision. Basic models get a 6.5-inch screen, but they go up to 8.0 and 9.2 inches in size. Whichever version you choose, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard so you can use the apps on your smartphone for navigation and music playback. If you like, you can also swap the analogue dials behind the steering wheel for 10.25 digital display that flicks between functions including transforming into a huge sat-nav map. You can even have wireless phone charging in the Skoda Scala as well as an onboard mobile hotspot that’ll mean you and your passengers can easily get connected to the internet.

Skoda Scala practicality

Skoda says the Scala has the biggest boot you’ll find in a car of this type with a 467-litre capacity – nearly a quarter bigger than a Golf’s but slightly smaller than a Honda Civic’s. Still, it’ll easily swallow a couple of large suitcases and have plenty of room for a full complement of soft bags. Skoda is also claiming class-leading headroom in the back. While rear legroom (you get 73mm of it) is generous enough to ensure the back seat is a comfortable space even if your passengers are more than six-foot tall.

Skoda Scala engines

You can have the Skoda Scale with a choice of three petrol and one diesel engine. The range kicks off with a 90hp 1.0-litre petrol engine with a five-speed manual gearbox – it’s ideal if you only drive in town.

Move up the range and there’s a 115hp 1.0-litre petrol that’s a great all rounder and a 150hp 1.5-litre petrol that feels pretty quick. They come with a six-speed manual as standard, but a seven-speed DSG automatic is optional. All the petrols will be good for fuel economy of at least 55mpg.

If you want to squeeze a little more out a tank you’ll need to go for the 115hp 1.6-litre diesel it’ll return more than 70mpg, but you can only have it with a six-speed manual.

If you fancy the nippy performance of the 1.5-litre model then it’s also worth considering the Sport Chassis Control. That makes the Scala feel sportier in bends by dropping its ride height by 15mm and giving you adjustable dampers that can be stiffened at the touch of a button to sacrifice a little ride comfort on bumpy roads for more control and less body lean in bends.

Skoda Scala safety

Standard safety features in the Skoda Scala include nine airbags, and automatic emergency brakes that’ll detect cars, cylists, animals and people. Crew Protect Assist is also fitted to every Scala – when it detects an imminent accident, it closes the windows and tenses the seatbelts to give you and your family as much protection as possible.

If you want to go a step further though, you can have autonomous driving tech that previously wasn’t available in a Skoda this size. The optional Side Assist can warn of cars approaching from up to 70m away – 50m further than a regular blind-spot warning system. Adaptive cruise control – that can brake and accelerate the car on the motorway for you – is also optional, as is auto park that can select a suitable space and reverse the car into it while you operate the accelerator and brake.

Bookmark this page for a full review of the Skoda Scala when we have it.

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